Monday September 29, 2014

Today, the hearing of Maltese Karmenu Vella, Commissioner-designate for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries took place before the joint sitting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and Committee on Fisheries. Karmenu Vella has been interviewed by MEPs for over three hours on his commitment to sustainability and views on his future dossier.

Karmenu Vella committed himself to continue the outgoing Commissioner Maria Damanaki’s fight against the illegal fishing (IUU), to implement the CFP, to let science and not politics decide annual fishing quotas, as well as to consider deep-sea mining only after thorough scientific analysis.

Oceana hopes that, if appointed Commissioner, Karmenu Vella will show great leadership and commitment and live up to the high expectations set by his predecessor. Implementation is the key and it will be the main challenge for the EU environmental legislation. We need concrete actions, genuine dedication and decided performance, not vague and elusive declarations, so that sustainable fisheries and healthy seas become a reality.”